Chain.



n0.653,374. Patetedlulylmleon.

J., H. BARRY.)

(Application.- led; Dem 2.1, ISST.)

im umm UNITED` STATES ,j

VPATENT Ormes.

JAMES HAROLDBARRY, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

CHAIN.

SPECIFICATION fOrmng part of Letters Patent No. 653,374, dated July-10, 1900. Application led December 27, 1897. Serial No.'663,657. (No model.) v

.To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES HAROLD BARRY, a subject of the Queen of England, residing at Dalston, London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented'certain new and usefullmprovements in Chains, (for whichIhave obtained Letters Patent in Great Britain, under No. 22,716, dated November 27, 1895;'in France, under No. 260,741, dated October 26, 1896; in Belgium, under No. 124,186, dated October 26, 1896, and in Germany, No. 94,355, dated October 26, 1896,) of-which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements such as are hereinafter described in drivingphains and chain-wheels for cycles and the ike.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a plan, of one construction of improved driving-chain according to this invention. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and Fig. 4 a plan, of a modified construction of the improved chain. Fig. 5 is a view of one of the pins forming part of a'chain such as is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the pin channeled, as at d. Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an alternative construction of chain in which pins of the kind illustrated by Fig. 6 are employed. Fig. 8 is a perspective view, and Fig. 9 la plan, illustrating the application to a chain constructed ac#V cording to this invention of a clip F for holding the two parts of each link together. Parts of the chains are shown broken away in places to facilitate comprehension of their construction. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a segment of a chain-wheel suitable for use with this chain.

Like letters indicate like the drawings.

With reference first toFigs. 1 to 4 it will be seen that each of the successive links A in each chain is composed of the parts A A2, which are so formed vthat when laid close together, as at one end A3 of the link, hereinafter termed the narrower7 end, there is at the other end A4a gap between them, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, whichserves as ajaw forthe parts throughout reception of the narrowerfend of theneigh-l boring-link and the connecting-pin D, as hereinafter described. The connecting-pin D is I cylindrical and reduced at its ends D' D2, as shown, to a diameter smaller than that of its central portion D2.

This connecting-pin is passed through holes in adjoining links, which are of such a diameter that the pin is rotatable in both the links.

To construct a chain of the parts A A2 D, two parts A A2 are taken and laid side by side-as in Fig. 2, for example. Next a connecting-pin D is passed into the hole in the narrower end A3 of the link thus formed, so

.that its reduced ends D D2 project from the parts A A2. Two more parts A A2 are then taken and caused to engage the projecting endsD D2 of the con necting-pin, so as to form a second link. In the free or narrow end of this second link another connecting-pin D is placed, and thereafter the procedure just described is repeated to forma third link, and

Figs. land 2 the reduced ends D D2 of the connecting-pins D are made of such length `as to project from both sides of the chain in order to en ter recesses provided in an appropriately-formed chain-wheel, which latter acts upon the ends D D2 to drive the chain.

In the construction of chain illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 the links are of half the length of those shown in Figs. land 2 and may be so made that only the alternate pins project, so that this chain may be used with the same wheel as the'chain of Figs. 1 and 2. If each pin D projects as shown, this chain becomes a short-pitch chain similar to the chain of longer pitch in Figs. 1 and 2.

From, the foregoing it will be seen that the three parts A A2 D for any link are keptto- `gether by the succeeding link, each.v lihk'th us such chain an endless chain and of opening up this endless chain whendesired will IOO now be described. It will be seen from Fig. l, for instance, that when a straight length of chain has been built up by the addition of veach succeeding link to the narrower end of the link preceding it the production from such a length of an endless chain necessitates the insertion in the jaw of the first link (for instance, the link at the extreme right in Fig. l)-of the narrower end of the last link, (for instance, the link at the extreme left of Fig. l.) This can be done quite easily by slightly separating the parts A A2 of a link which is, say, fourth in order, counting from the first or right hand toward the left in Fig. 1. This enables the parts A A2 of the thirdlink to be separated a little farther than the corre sponding parts of the fourth link, whereupon the second link can be opened wider still, and so on; This increment of opening in successive links as the first one is approached enables it to be opened so wide that the pin D in the first link can be removed from its jaw, placed in the narrower end of the last link, and restored to its place in the first link with the last link upon it. The sides of the first, second, and succeeding links are then closed together again, and thus an endless chain is constituted, which may be opened up or interrupted by a like process.

With reference to the alternative con strnction illustrated by Figs. G and 7 the parts A4 A5 are provided with slots a, which are sufficiently large to enable the separated ends of the parts AL1 A5 to pass over the ends of the pin Dl and abut against but not override the central enlargement D5 thereof. The width of the channel d in the pin is such that when the ends of the parts A*l A5 of the link thus slotted have been brought against the central enlargement D5 the exertion of a pull upon the chain in the direction of its length will move the ends of the link into the channel d, so that the larger outer ends of the pin will prevent the sides A4 A5 thereof from moving apart laterally. Preferably the shape of the slot rl.y is such as is indicated in Fig. '-that is to say, it is provided with a circular portion which is sufficiently large to enable it to pass over the outer ends of the connectingpin Dl and with another portion a2 slotted out to a smaller radius and adapted to fit exactly the circumference of the reduced or channeled portion (l of the pin, so that there may be no unnecessary shape or slack in the chain.

In addition to the employment of the channeled connecting-pins I)4 or as an alternative to their use the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 may be adopted, in which each of the parts A6 A7 of the links of the chain is slotted, as at a', to receive a small key or clip F, the ends F of which after the clip has been inserted in the slot are bent around onto the outer sides of the two members AG A7 composing the link, so as to prevent them from afterward accidentally coming apart. The clip F, inserted in any one of the links, is prevented from coming out of the slot a.' when the chain is built up by the adjacent ends of the succeeding link in the chain, as illustrated in Fig. 9.

- With reference now to Fig. lO the improved chain-wheel illustrated therein is provided with tivo flanges G, notched to engage with projections from the sides of the chain pre- Viously described.

The chain-wheels, in addition to the notches described above, may have a series of teeth at the bottom of the channel between the fianges. A wheel thus constructed may be used to operate in conjunction with a chain with which it gears by means of the center teeth alone or the side teeth alone or both of them, as may be desired.

In the chain illustrated in Figs. l to 4 there need be nothing additional to the parts, such as A A2, forming the links except the pins D, which, as will be seen, are not provided with any means except their central enlargement to keep them in place, no rivet or brazing or other means being needed to hold the chain togetheror connect the parts. Nevertheless the two plates of a link may be secured together by riveting, eyeleting, clamping, or other suitable means, if preferredfor instance, by the devices described with reference to Figs. G, 7, S, and 9. These links may be of any desired size or pitch.

I claim"- l. In a driving-chain, the combination with links, each consisting of two like parts, of pins pivotally connecting the links, said pins being loosely supported to permit them to turn freely, and having their central portions of greater diameter than their ends, which latter project beyond the sides of the links to engage sprock et-teeth, substantially as described.

2. In a driving-chain, the combination with links each consisting of two like parts, of pins pivotally connecting the links, said pins being loosely supported to permit them to turn freely and having their central 'portions of greater diameter than their ends, and means for connecting the parts of the links, substantially as described.

3. In a driving-chain, the combination with links each consisting of two like parts slotted as at a', of pins pivotally connecting the links, said pins being loosely supported to permit them to turn freely and having enlarged central portions, and clips extending through said slots, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES HAROLD BARRY.

Witnesses:

ALFRED J. BoULT, HARRY B. BRIDGE. 

